Brake pad life

[VodkaAndPickles]

What is considered normal brake pad life for the rear and front?

[George R. Young]

65000 km for the rear, fronts still going strong.

[Nosmo]

I changed my originals on the Concours at about 34,000 miles as I recall, and they were probably 80% worn.  Wee Strom still has originals at 28,000 miles, about 1/2 gone.  My Toyota 4x4 truck has 358,000 miles and still the original rear shoes, fronts changed at 260,000.  I try not to use my brakes unless I really need them.

[VodkaAndPickles]

Wow, guess at least my rear caliper is sticking... I replaced the pads when I got it about 8,000 miles ago, they already show wear.  Maybe about half worn?  Hard to say. 

Looks like I'll have to clean the caliper out even more than I did on the next pad change.

[Furbo]

I think this depends primarily on your riding style and environment.

I replace my pads every other tire ( about 8k mile mark). I use soft pad, ride hard, and usually in the Dolomites or Alps - so lotsa hard braking.

[cmoore]

My rears don't last long either.

[VodkaAndPickles]

I think this depends primarily on your riding style and environment.

I replace my pads every other tire ( about 8k mile mark). I use soft pad, ride hard, and usually in the Dolomites or Alps - so lotsa hard braking.

I certainly don't ride mountain road hard...

[GeeBeav]

I think this depends primarily on your riding style and environment.

. . . and brake pad brand and compound, etc, etc.

[Uglydog56]

I just changed mine (f&r) at 51000.

[turtle]

I think this depends primarily on your riding style and environment.

I agree with that.  I go through rears (Galfers, I think) at 16k like clock work, and I try not to be hard on the rear brake.  Fronts lasted about 40k (EBC HH sintered).  Just changed them out.

[goatmar]

If you don't use your brakes they'll last longer that way.  I do a lot of downshifting.....

[gtr1000inFL]

I just picked up a 35,000 mile 2005, front pads look fresh but smell when applied.  Rear pads are paper thin.  Fluids were brown, front grip felt spongy, etc.  Bike was advertised as "just serviced 1200 miles ago."  Got to love the mystery in that.

[T Cro ®]

If you don't use your brakes they'll last longer that way.  I do a lot of downshifting.....

Don't want look like I'm dogging you but that is another false truth and Urban Myth.....

As told to me by a very well respected M/C engine builder, tuner & racer; engines are designed to do one thing and that is to make you go faster and brakes are designed to make you go slower. While some down shifting is helpful to maintaining control of the bike excessive down shifting is doing nothing more than wearing out your engine faster than necessary. Without placing a restriction in the exhaust (think Jake Brake) the engine is nothing more than a free wheeling air pump that wants to do one thing and that being suck in air with fuel on one side and expel it out the other side. Replacing brake pads is a very simple and low cost task when compared to rebuilding an engine more frequently. If your engine is reving up more than a grand while down shifting you are likely doing more harm than good.

[T Cro ®]

I just picked up a 35,000 mile 2005, front pads look fresh but smell when applied.  Rear pads are paper thin.  Fluids were brown, front grip felt spongy, etc.  Bike was advertised as "just serviced 1200 miles ago."  Got to love the mystery in that.

To most people "just serviced" means little more than fresh oil & filter in the engine. Pick up a Service Manual and you will be surprised at some of the service intervals that you have never heard of people getting done. Brakes should be taken apart and rebuilt as needed every 3 years; or at least flushed out once a year. As for myself I wear out rear brake pads fairly quickly as a little rear brake along with a little gas will create a very easy bike to balance through slow speed "city" turns and traffic.